Oh my goodness. That was brilliant! I'm still trying to catch my breath! I love it! Your characterisations of both Jocasta and Dooku were amazing! I'm sorry. I'm just blown away at the sheer magnificence of this story!

The set-up was magnificent, especially with Jocasta slipping into the role of frustrated big sister within the first few lines. And the exposition of their current relationship was beautiful, lots of wonderful imagery. I liked that image of him as '...a little child, too smart for his own good, and needing constant attention', but I'm not too ure about later line where that imagery was most evident. When Dooku asks her to read him a rock, his 'Won't you?' sounded just a *little* too plaintitive. I dunno – it's just my uninformed opinion, of course, but I thought he would have been a bit firmer in his demanding-ness. All imperatives, you know, 'Don't laugh at me. Read me one of your rocks.'

Having said that, I must add that the sudden change of subject to the 'Padawan Situation' was very well handled. Admittedly, I found it a little odd/awkward/incongruous at first, but re-reading it, I came to appreciate it much better. I liked the contrast between Dooku's nochalant 'gotcha Jo!' attitude, and the slightly neurotic insecurity issue all the uncertainty all the terror of taking responsibility for the upbringing of a child, a Jedi child, no less. It really came out there, especially in all that prickly defensiveness. I honestly feel this has got to be one of the most well-written conversations I have ever read in SW fanfic. You understand both Dooku and Jocasta very well, and also their relationship, and it shows in all their dialogue. You wrote the dynamics of their relationship in the specific context of the ebb and flow of this conversation brilliantly. There was a very fresh clean-cut portrayal of Dooku's characteristic capacity for cruelty, in particular – poor Jocasta. And then the backpedalling, the boyishly wide-eyed apology. I loved the way it went, Jo thinking it's the end of the world [I am hearing U2], and ends up applying apres-sol gel on his nose anyway. There is such powerful, luminous hope in this vignette, and considering that context, it was particularly sad to see all them long shadows across that hot bright afternoon.

You are fantastic. You have the amazing ability to get inside the character and to show us what you find. I don't know what else I can say about this piece or any of your writing. It is simply wonderful how you portray all these different scenes so well. I love it!

JESS! *gasp* When did this happen? Read it before, of course, but still lovin' it to death. Jacosta's good - very likeable, and the banter gives you the idea of them really being old friends. Well done as ever...